Aditya Hrudayam (Aditya Hridayam)

Beholding Lord Rama standing fatigued on the battlefield, engrossed in deep thought, and seeing Ravana standing before Him ready for intense battle...

...The venerable sage Agastya, who had arrived along with the celestial gods to witness the battle, approached Rama and spoke as follows:

'O Rama, O mighty-armed Rama! Listen to this eternal secret, by which, my dear child, you shall conquer all your adversaries in combat.'

'This is the sacred Aditya Hrudayam, which annihilates all foes, confers ultimate victory, and is imperishable and supremely auspicious. One should recite it constantly.'

'It is the most auspicious of all that is auspicious, the destroyer of all sins, the dispeller of anxieties and grief, and the supreme enhancer of longevity.'

'Worship the radiant Sun, the creator of light (Bhaskara), adorned with effulgent rays, rising majestically, saluted by both gods and demons, and sovereign ruler of the universe.'

'He indeed is the embodiment of all divinities, replete with fiery energy, nourishing all creation through His rays. He protects the celestials, demons, and mortal worlds through His effulgence.'

'He is Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shiva the transformer, Skanda, Prajapati, Indra the king of gods, Kubera the dispenser of wealth, Kala (Time), Yama (Lord of death), Soma (the Moon), and Varuna the Lord of waters.'

'He is the Pitris (ancestors), the eight Vasus, the Sadhyas, the twin Ashvins, the Maruts (wind gods), Manu, Vayu (air), Agni (fire), the vital breath of all creatures, the architect of seasons, and the creator of light.'

'He is Aditya (son of Aditi), Savita (the instigator of life), Surya (the moving luminary), Khaga (traversing the heavens), Pushan (the nourisher), luminous with brilliant rays, gleaming like burnished gold, the golden cosmic seed, and the maker of the day.'

'He has tawny-green steeds, thousands of blazing beams, seven harnessed horses, rays of cosmic light, the destroyer of darkness, the harbinger of happiness (Shambhu), the divine shaper (Tvashta), the life-giver born of the cosmic egg (Martanda), and the radiant one.'

'He is Hiranyagarbha (the golden cosmic womb), cool and soothing to worshippers, heat-generating, radiant, praised by all, womb of celestial fire, son of Aditi, pacifier of the freezing cold, and blissful master.'

'Lord of the vault of heaven, dispeller of darkness, master of the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas, sender of heavy rains, friend of waters, swiftly crossing the Vindhya skies.'

'The generator of heat, crowned in a luminous orb, the death of impurities, golden-amber hued, scorcher of all things, the supreme seer-poet, the universe Himself, extraordinarily brilliant, loving, and origin of all existence.'

'Sovereign master of the lunar constellations, planets, and celestial stars, nurturer of the universe, the most effulgent among all effulgent beings, manifest in twelve solar aspects (Dvadashatman) - salutations unto You!'

'Salutations to You who rise from the eastern mountains and set upon the western hills. Salutations to the Lord of the celestial stellar hosts and the supreme sovereign of the day!'

'Salutations to the Victorious One, the bestower of auspicious victory, the driver of green steeds! Salutations, repeatedly salutations to the thousand-rayed Sun, the son of Aditi!'

'Salutations to the fierce one, to the heroic champion, to the swift traveler across constellations! Salutations to the awakener of the lotus, salutations to Martanda!'

'Salutations to the Lord of Brahma, Shiva, and Achyuta (Vishnu), to Surya possessing the glory of Aditi, the refulgent one, the consumer of all things, assuming a formidable cosmic form!'

'Salutations to the dispeller of darkness, the destroyer of cold, the vanquisher of adversaries, the boundless cosmic soul, the punisher of the ungrateful, the effulgent Lord of lights!'

'Salutations to Him whose radiance resembles molten refined gold, the cosmic fire, the architect of the universe (Vishwakarma), the shatterer of darkness, the supreme light, the eternal witness of all the worlds!'

'This Lord alone dissolves all created beings and then recreates them anew. He sustains, He scorches with heat, and He showers forth rains through His radiant rays.'

'He remains awake within all living creatures even while they sleep, abiding in their innermost hearts. He alone is the sacred Agnihotra sacrifice and the divine fruit reaped by the sacrificers.'

'He is the Vedas, the Vedic sacrifices, and the fruit of all rituals. Whatever righteous duties are accomplished in all the worlds, Lord Ravi is the sovereign soul of them all.'

'O Raghava! Anyone who glorifies Him in times of grave danger, painful trials, dense wilderness, or overwhelming fear never sinks into distress or defeat!'

'Worship this God of gods, the Lord of the cosmos, with one-pointed focus. Reciting this hymn three times, you shall achieve triumphant victory in this battle!'

'In this very moment, O mighty-armed hero, you shall slay Ravana!' Having spoken thus, the revered sage Agastya departed as he had arrived.

Hearing this wisdom, the intensely effulgent Rama was instantly freed from all sorrow. With immense delight and a purified, concentrated mind, He committed this sacred hymn to heart.

Gazing upon the Sun God and chanting the stotra three times, Rama attained supreme bliss. Performing Achamana (ritual sipping of water) thrice to purify Himself, the valorous hero grasped His mighty bow.

Beholding Ravana before Him, Rama advanced toward combat with an invigorated heart, resolved with all supreme effort to bring about the demon king's destruction.

Then, knowing the impending destruction of the king of demons (Ravana), Lord Ravi, seated in the midst of the celestial hosts with an overjoyed heart, looked down upon Rama and joyfully exclaimed: 'Hasten! Hasten!'